Low IMDb Rating Challenge
IMDb ratings are a curious thing. Some films attain low IMDb ratings because the majority of voters disagree with their ideas or politics. Some films attain low IMDb ratings because they are misunderstood, or watched by a majority of viewers expecting something else (Halloween III: Season of the Witch, on two Official Lists, is a perfect example of this). Other films attain low IMDb ratings because the majority of viewers watch them with MST3K commentary, or watch them when drunk or stoned. Or watch films best appreciated when drunk or stoned when they are sober. Other films are enjoyable on a so-bad-it's-good level, but are dismissed by casual filmgoers, leading to very low ratings. And then there are films that are simply downright awful.
This is the thread where we celebrate the all interesting films out there that, for whatever reason, have low IMDb ratings. As discussed on the future polls thread, the cut-off will be films with an IMDb rating of 5.4. This was decided because 1 and 10 are the minimum/maximum ratings on IMDb and 5.5 is the halfway point. If you want to though, you are welcome to give yourself an even stricter rating roof. Want to only watch films with ratings below 4.0? Be my guest. Want to only watch films with ratings below 2.0? Be my guest; just don't complain that sol said it would be okay if you have an entire month watching worthless junk! Want to watch films with ratings above 5.4? Sure, watch what you want, but only films with an IMDb score of or below 5.4 (at the time that you saw them) will be counted in this challenge.
On that note, please don't assume that films that other users have listed here automatically qualify for the Challenge. If a film's rating soars above 5.4 during the month, you unfortunately cannot include it.
Since I will also be posting results of a bonus 'Get Low' limbo challenge, I would like you to include the IMDb rating after the title in your posts. I will be using these ratings to calculate averages; if you would like to save me some trouble, you can calculate your own average too. If you do not include the IMDb rating next to the titles you view, and do not include a list of what you have seen in each post, you will NOT be included in the bonus challenge.
Preferred formatting:
(sample) on wrote:1. Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982) 4.7 on IMDb
2. Poltergeist III (1988) 4.6 on IMDb
3. Body Melt (1993) 5.0 on IMDb
Average IMDb rating: 4.78
Okay, onto the usual stuff: Goal
Watch as many movies with IMDb ratings of 5.4 or lower as you can from January 1, 2018 to January 31, 2018.
Rules
- Each feature film (over 40 minutes) counts as one entry.
- 60 minutes of short films counts as one entry.
- 60 minutes of TV episodes counts as one entry.
- 60 minutes of music videos counts as one entry.
- The usual miniseries rule applies (ask if unsure).
- Rewatches are allowed and are good for the soul.
I reserve the right to exclude participants who intentionally number their viewings incorrectly. If you play the game, you're expected to play properly.
DEADLINE
Final results will be posted between 11:30am and 12:00pm GMT on February 2 - at which point it will have been February everywhere in the world for almost a whole day. While you are welcome to post updates beyond this point, any such updates will not be included in the final results. Your choice whether you miss the deadline or not; besides, if it's February on your side of the world, shouldn't you be starting on one of next month's challenges, mm?
Stuck for ideas of what to watch? Look no further:
This thread will be updated at least twice a day (more often if I am around and feel like it). Since I am updating manually, I would appreciated it if you to list new films seen in a new post. If you would prefer just to endlessly edit your original post, please let me know so that I remember to check your post.
Participants
Rank
Participant
# of Watches
1
flavo5000
142
2
psychotronicbeatnik
91
3
OldAle
75
4
Gorro
71
5
albajos
62
6
VincentPrice
47
7
te18
37
8
sol
36
9
ChrisReynolds
35
9
India Istanbul
35
11
jdidaco
30
12
maxwelldeux
20
13
jeroeno
17
14
72allinncallme
12
15
klaus78
10
16
hurluberlu
9
16
Mochard
9
18
mathiasa
7
18
Mate_cosido
7
18
RogerTheMovieManiac88
7
21
Fergenaprido
5
21
lynchs
5
23
cinephage
3
24
3eyes
2
24
Lilarcor
2
24
XxXApathy420XxX
2
27
alisoncm
1
27
blocho
1
27
Good_Will_Harding
1
27
Jimi Antiloop
1
27
jvv
1
27
nimimerkillinen
1
27
sebby
1
GET LOW BONUS CHALLENGE
Lowest Average Rating
Rating
Participant
# of Watches
2.73
albajos
62
3.53
jeroeno
17
3.65
psychotronicbeatnik
91
3.67
te18
37
3.83
klaus78
10
3.86
cinephage
3
3.94
OldAle
75
3.97
72allinncallme
12
4.00
jvv
1
4.17
maxwelldeux
20
4.25
Lilarcor
2
4.27
India Istanbul
35
4.32
Gorro
71
4.40
Mate_cosido
7
4.46
Mochard
9
4.57
VincentPrice
47
4.61
flavo5000
142
4.70
3eyes
2
4.70
blocho
1
4.80
ChrisReynolds
35
4.80
Good_Will_Harding
1
4.80
Jimi Antiloop
1
4.80
mathiasa
7
4.81
sol
36
5.03
jdidaco
31
5.10
alisoncm
1
5.16
hurluberlu
9
5.40
sebby
1
Last edited by sol on February 2nd, 2018, 1:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I'm in. Should tie in well with the Sci-Fi challenge, and for several years I've started out on January 1 watching bad movies anyway (cuz it's all uphill from there). Will probably watch a lot of barbarian fantasies for this, also hopefully Coleman Francis and Neil Breen, and perhaps cut down on my large pile of unwatched Albert Pyun (though his ratings have been improving and a lot of them are above the cutoff now. )
Oh and as far as readily available lists I will pimp albajos' continuing and regularly updated list from The Greatest Film Review Site in the Universe:
Noting as you do for the BadMovies list that some of these have ratings too high to qualify. But there's a lot of "quality" stuff there and the reviews are worth watching IMO. May I recommend Elves (rating 4.1) to everyone while we're still in holiday mode?
OldAle1 on Dec 30 2017, 09:33:11 PM wrote:for several years I've started out on January 1 watching bad movies anyway (cuz it's all uphill from there)
That's a pretty good attitude, actually.
Personally speaking though, I have always tried to watch something excellent as my first first-time-viewing every year in the hope that it sets the tone for a great movie watching year to come. So no, I won't be beginning 2018 with a low IMDb rating film (I have a 3.5 hour critically acclaimed sci-fi flick lined up instead) but yeah, I'll let my love of horror drive this Challenge for me this month. It is a good excuse to plug up some my gaps in the TS Zombies canon.
3.5 hour critically acclaimed SF? Welt am Draht I'm guessing. Enjoy...I think it's the only really successful VR film that has been made to date, but I'm not going to predict your response...
albajos on Dec 30 2017, 09:49:18 PM wrote:-----do fit "well" with January being the month when the studios empty their waste baskets onto the public-----
Did anyone see last year's Monster Trucks?
No but it stars Emma Stone lookalike Jane Levy so I have to someday.
Are people interested in an update of this? Or I can make a longer (temporary) list on IMDb for this challenge, so you can sort it on IMDb-rating. Or only include official checks? Let me know if I can help.
I'm not in, btw.
ICM-profile
Fergenaprido: "I find your OCD to be adorable, J"
In. I decided to limit myself to films that fit one or both of the other challenges.. Given the dearth of lists for this one, here are the doubles & triples I've found (all streaming in the US): Spoiler: click to toggle
Are people interested in an update of this? Or I can make a longer (temporary) list on IMDb for this challenge, so you can sort it on IMDb-rating. Or only include official checks? Let me know if I can help.
I'm not in, btw.
Thanks! Didn't find that one through searching for "dislike" lists, should have searched for bottom too.
I'd be interested in an update of this icm list anytime!
I'll certainly be in on this one. I'll be doubling up with the sci-fi/fantasy challenge too, so it'll be fun watching lots of shitty, made up nonsense.
Are people interested in an update of this? Or I can make a longer (temporary) list on IMDb for this challenge, so you can sort it on IMDb-rating. Or only include official checks? Let me know if I can help.
I'm not in, btw.
Thanks! Didn't find that one through searching for "dislike" lists, should have searched for bottom too.
I'd be interested in an update of this icm list anytime!
I made it by extracting the top 5000 most disliked titles from iCM. #5000 on that list has 28 dislikes, so anything with less than 28 dislikes won't be on it. I sorted those 5000 by the formula "dislikes/(checks+50)".
ICM-profile
Fergenaprido: "I find your OCD to be adorable, J"
This one is going to be awesome. Who can beat this poster?
Anybody that isn't able or willing to write reviews of what they see for this challenge should at least be required to provide a poster. Not that many are going to beat that.
Assuming this "film" was "successful", I would hope we will eventually see an amalgamation of Exorcist 2: The Heretic and Jaws the Revenge, putting together the worst elements of both films/franchises. Add in some Piranha love too... That would be too great for the mind to comprehend, but I bring you
I made it by extracting the top 5000 most disliked titles from iCM. #5000 on that list has 28 dislikes, so anything with less than 28 dislikes won't be on it. I sorted those 5000 by the formula "dislikes/(checks+50)".
46 of these have the genre:sci-fi tag which leaves options.
Are people interested in an update of this? Or I can make a longer (temporary) list on IMDb for this challenge, so you can sort it on IMDb-rating. Or only include official checks? Let me know if I can help.
I'm not in, btw.
Thanks! Didn't find that one through searching for "dislike" lists, should have searched for bottom too.
I'd be interested in an update of this icm list anytime!
I made it by extracting the top 5000 most disliked titles from iCM. #5000 on that list has 28 dislikes, so anything with less than 28 dislikes won't be on it. I sorted those 5000 by the formula "dislikes/(checks+50)".
1. Stinger (2005) 1.9 on IMDb; My Rating: 1/10
There's many movies like this, in which a ragtag band of stereotypes battle a carnivorous monster in a confined space, but you'd be hard pressed to find one cheaper than this. Complete with some of the least convincing CG in cinematic history, woefully bad acting and lighting so bad you can barely see what's meant to be happening half the time. Worse still, it's far more often boring than it is amusing.
This is a pretty awesome movie, though as per the lowish IMDb rating, not for all tastes. I would describe it as a very dark comedy with pronounced horror elements. Madcap storyline focuses on a boy obsessed with Satan, who comes to believe that a masked killer is Satan, and proceeds to beg him to kill his sister's boyfriend because he wants to marry her and her boyfriend is in the way. If this doesn't sound like your sort of thing, don't venture further, but between its commentary on how Satan is promoted in games/movies, the scary depiction of the ease of going on a murder spree on Halloween and some really kooky indoctrinated religion ideas towards the end, the films leaves a lot of room for thought.
3. It's Pat: The Movie (1994) 2.6 on IMDb; My Rating: 5/10
I laughed way more than I should have done.
Average IMDb rating: 2.0 Spoiler: click to toggle
1. Stinger (2005) 1.9 on IMDb; My Rating: 1/10
2. Pocket Ninjas (1997) 1.5 on IMDb; My Rating: 1/10
3. It's Pat: The Movie (1994) 2.6 on IMDb; My Rating: 5/10
4. Ninja Vengeance (1988) 2.2 on IMDb; My Rating: 3/10
A peaceful ninja fights back against a chapter of the Ku Klux Klan committing racist murder in a hick town and it's not nearly as awesome and exploitative as it should have been, despite a couple of snicker-worthy scenes. Far too well-intentioned for its own good.
Average IMDb rating: 2.05 Spoiler: click to toggle
1. Stinger (2005) 1.9 on IMDb; My Rating: 1/10
2. Pocket Ninjas (1997) 1.5 on IMDb; My Rating: 1/10
3. It's Pat: The Movie (1994) 2.6 on IMDb; My Rating: 5/10
4. Ninja Vengeance (1988) 2.2 on IMDb; My Rating: 3/10
About this being "the worst movie ever made:" - No one who has seen "Revenge of the Toilet" (which my son made when he was around 12) would agree. But then, I used to wonder why I never made any "Worst-Dressed Woman" list.
The introductory spiel sets the tone, all right. The conclusion is gloriously muddled, but (whew!) the peaceniks are foiled again. What struck me most was the voiceover narrative - guess it took awhile for the filmmakers to realize they weren't doing a radio episode of Inner Sanctum.